This is the first state or provincial capitol building I’ve been to in North America that just lets anyone roam in without an appointment. I really like it, it’s a symbol of access and democracy to a jurisdictions top legislative organ. I could just walk right into the governor’s office and sign a guestbook, walk up to legislators’ desks in chambers when they’re not in session, and dine with legislators in the cafeteria.
The building was completed in Charleston in 1925 by architect Cass Gilbert to build a “dignified and pure” structure to represent the people of West Virginia. The dome is nearly 300 feet tall and was supposed to be covered in gold leaf, but it wasn’t gold until 1991 when it was finally plated with 23.5-karat gold. The dome is slightly taller than that of the national capitol building in Washington D.C., but the real draw is in the vaulted ceilings hanging over the long corridors.
Outside, there are about a dozen statues and monuments commemorating various important parts of the state’s history such as miners, soldiers, and Abraham Lincoln. Also in the same block is the cultural centre with the state museum and the governor’s mansion.
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